How to Get Along with Cat Haters
I’ve met a lot of people who don’t like cats. And I often hear the same reasons all over again when I ask them why they don’t like cats — smelly litter box, they aren’t loyal, you cannot teach them tricks and of course the most famous one: They ruin the furniture. Then you have cat-haters, people who dislike cats with a passion and the people who are allergic to cats.
Why All The Hatred?
If you own a cat and you’re planning to make it an outdoor cat, be prepared for angry neighbors as your cat will most likely will do its business in your neighbors beautiful garden. And I’m sure you know that nothing is worse than finding a cat’s business between your flowers while working on your garden. This might be the number one reason why your neighbor is creating evil plans to make your cat disappear.
I keep my cats inside, warm and safe, because I don’t know what the intentions are of the people outside.
Even with indoor cats things can get pretty heated, especially if someone has trouble connecting with the cat. Worse if the cat has been peeing on expensive suits, scratching the furniture and doing other things that makes someone go nuts when it goes on for a long time. In time, the frustration boils up until the bomb explodes. There is no love for the cat, only hatred and angry feelings towards the poor kitty who was only trying to make something clear.
One theory says that people who say they hate cats actually hate the fact that they have to accept they are not in control when faced with a cat. Everyone hates being out of control at some level and dogs are easier to take control over than cats.
Maybe something happened in the past of a cat-hater that made them dislike cats so much? They could have had a very bad experience with a cat when they were little, or they had an overprotective parent who without knowing thought their child to dislike cats by telling and teaching the child to never touch a cat? Even when someone does not like an animal, there is no reason to harm an animal. It’s a kind of hatred we will never understand.
What Do To If You Meet One?
If you love cats, there is a chance you will come across someone who does not like cats or is allergic to cats. I don’t have problem with either of them. I respect their choice and respect that they are allergic to cats. If someone is willing to visit my place who is allergic to cats or scared of them, I will make sure the place is clean, tidy and cat-hairless and lock my cats away in a room. If people don’t like cats? You don’t have to visit my place. To each their own, right?
But when things get physical, that is when I get mad. A lot of people don’t know what to do when they meet a cat hater who hates cats so much they want to hurt them, drown them, kill them. It’s complicated, it confuses me and I will never be able to understand it. But what can you do if you think a (cat) hater is abusing animals? Well, there are many options…
First, make sure you don’t make any rash decisions. Don’t get mad, and if you’re planning to tell that person to stop it, you have to be 100% sure that that person actually has been abusing animals. I also suggest you don’t go alone. You might want to come up with evidence if possible but if you’re not up for this straight-forward approach you can always call the police or the SPCA. Remember that even for the police it can be difficult to find out who the perpetrator is, with or without evidence. Most of the time — and I know from experience, the SPCA will keep checking the neighborhood.
Rosie survived a cat-hater. By posting flyers and calling the SPCA we scared off the cat-hater in our neighborhood eventually.
Another option is to scare off the cat-hater who might be hurting animals in your neighborhood. Make flyers on which you explain the situation, what is going on and that pet owners might want to keep their cats and other animals inside, together with the phone number of the police and the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). What you don’t put on the flyer is who you think it could be because you could be wrong. Hand the flyers out to people, go to houses where you’ll explain the situation personally, approach people on the street. Hang flyers up on trees or street lanterns. Try to make it known so everyone in your neighborhood is aware, even the person you suspect.
If a person who does not like cats is visiting you, you can try to come up with an agreement. It depends on how comfortable you and the visitor are when it comes to cats. Remember that it is your house and your cats, and he is your visitor. He had a choice but decided to visit your place anyway. If you want to be the perfect host and you don’t mind locking your cats away in a room where they have everything — food, water, litter box and toys for a few hours, I suggest doing that.
It’s better than letting them roam around the place when you have a guest who does not like cats. If you own cats, you know there will always be people who don’t like cats which might result in you constantly trying to keep your cats away from your guest or your guest might not be so nice to your cats. Sometimes your visitors will just ignore them.
You can also ask your visitor what it is that he doesn’t like about cats, and see if you can use that. For example: your visitor hates the smell of litter boxes, and thinks cats are disgusting. Clean the litter boxes, the house, the cats sleeping places and show your visitor they aren’t disgusting.
Make it known you have cats if you are aware that your guest doesn’t like cats but also let them know you’re open to suggestions and options. Your cats might be your everything but sometimes sacrifices have to be made. If you really don’t want to lock away your cats see if there is a way to keep them distracted and away from the guest such as interactive toys or feeding time? If you’re okay with raw feeding, give them something to gnaw on that will keep them busy for a while. Always stay friendly and don’t get offended if your guest doesn’t like cats.
Allergies
Most people who are allergic to cats are allergic to their saliva. And to get rid of that saliva you have to bathe your cat. But we all know that a lot of cats don’t like water and don’t like taking a bath. To spare you all the hassle and the pain I suggest you clean your entire house if you have someone coming over who is allergic to cats. Maybe they have medication for it, or are taking shots for their allergy, but I think it’s a way of showing your respect to that person that you care, by cleaning, vacuuming and getting rid of all the cat hair. If you feel comfortable doing so, lock your cats up in a room in where they have access to their litter box, food and water and everything else they need. If you don’t want to do that, another option is go to a room with the doors closed so your cats aren’t locked up, but they can’t enter the room either.
It’s important to not get offended or mad if you meet someone that doesn’t like cats or wants to hurt them. Don’t take any rash actions yourself without contacting the police or the SPCA. If you have a guest coming over who doesn’t like cats, respect him, his choice and see if you can come up with an agreement. But remember that it’s your house and your cats. Don’t be afraid to say it if you feel uncomfortable having him around with your cats. It’s your house and you should be able to say whatever you want.
